


Silencium

by mayachain



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Boarding School, Character Study, Comfort, Friendship/Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-18
Updated: 2006-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-05 10:46:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayachain/pseuds/mayachain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The teachers at Xavier's have a habit of confiscating St John's lighter. St John has issues with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silencium

  


* * *

Every day he vows not to give them a reason to do it. Every day they do something that breaks him down.

They say the clicking sound disturbs the other students (breaks the teacher's concentration). They say his tiny flames make everyone nervous (now even more than before). They say his control slips when he's (how _dare_ he get) bored and starts daydreaming. They say it's for his own good. That's why they always take his lighter in class. Always always always.  


* * *

  
Then one day, Storm is lecturing about the Apartheid regime. It is making him nervous, because while the subject is uncomfortable enough in itself, it makes him think of another racist regime and a strong but strangely thin arm with grey hair and a number on it (that John now can recite in his sleep). When Storm starts about the first student demonstration, his right hand starts the flicking motion on its own.

Storm's white eyes promptly flash at him in warning, but John can't stop, he just can't.

To get angry and up, his teacher only needs seconds. He glares at her defiantly and knows full well it won't make a difference.

She thinks he's mocking her and the event and its victims. If only she knew how serious he's taking it.

 

Then a cold hand snatches at his zippo-fiddling one. Cold fingers gently pry the lighter out of his hand.

John stares at his roommate in disbelief. In the book of John, this is betrayal; of all people, he hasn't expected _Bobby_ to betray him (not again). Bobby, who doesn't seem the least fazed by the hate (and hurt) in the look John gives him.

He isn't supposed to be raped of his lighter by his boyfriend.

And then he isn't.

The lighter doesn't disappear into Bobby's pocket or to some other far away location. It is pointedly placed on the desk between them, a bit more to Bobby's side but close enough for John to reach it without a problem. The hatred (hurt) in John's eyes turns into confusion. Transfixedly, he stares at it, and -

\- completely misses the look Bobby's throwing Storm. It is one that is rarely ever seen, because Pyro is dangerous and Bobby is supposed to be the harmless one. _You are powerful, I'm your favourite student, I'll ice you if you push me (if you make John leave)._

He just notices that Storm resumes lecturing while the zippo is still in his (Bobby's?) possession. The problem is not solved. He won't grab the lighter now, but his stupid (addicted) hand starts shaking.

That's when he feels Bobby's hand in his again, lining up cool with sweaty fingers, stilling the nervous movements and squeezing. Bobby's thumb on the back of his hand is soothing. There are stunned looks by the other students, but John stopped caring what they think long before he left, and Bobby obviously doesn't care either as he doesn't let go until the bell rings.

He lets John scoop up the zippo, and when they get into Scott's classroom for maths, he changes the seating arrangements so he can sit next to John. When John looks at their re-entangled hands and calls Bobby a girl, Bobby just grins.  


* * *

  
John's lighter hasn't been stolen since.  


* * *

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> This story was heavily inspired by a story that can be found [here](http://community.livejournal.com/dry_ice/9341.html).


End file.
